La-Z Boy brings on Spong PR as AOR for North America

Brooke Shields has served as a brand ambassador for La-Z-Boy since 2010.

MONROE, MI: La-Z-Boy has selected Spong PR as its AOR for North America following a competitive review.

The furniture retail and manufacturing brand chose Spong out of three agencies in the final round of the RFP, said Doug Collier, president for international and CMO of La-Z-Boy.

While he liked all three finalists, Collier said, "Spong came across a little more perfectly than anyone else."

The Minneapolis-based firm began working on the account earlier this week.

Collier said La-Z-Boy was impressed with Spong’s experience in the home category, including its current work with paint brand Sherwin Williams.

"[Spong’s] balance of basic PR capabilities and the block and tackling [a brand needs] to do was great, as well as their ability to come up with really interesting, cool ideas that we look forward to exploring," explained Collier.

He added that while social media was not a core driver of the search, the brand liked Spong’s ability to integrate it into initiatives and provide tracking and metrics.

The firm will work to engage consumer media and identify national or local activities to reach consumers, especially women ages 35 to 64, said Collier.

"We’re working hard with all of our marketing to convince women primarily that we make a broad range of great looking furniture beyond the iconic recliner," he added.

Contract length and budget information for the account were not disclosed.

La-Z-Boy previously worked with Alison Brod, which the brand selected as AOR in September 2011. The firm helped La-Z-Boy shift its strategy to reach women between 25 and 45 years old after marketing its furniture to men for more than 80 years.

Representatives from Alison Brod declined to comment on the account shift.

In April, Carmichael Lynch Spong rebranded after 23 years to Spong PR to create a stronger distinction from ad agency Carmichael Lynch. The firm said it had a mixed year in 2013, meeting new business goals and winning accounts but losing existing work due to what it described as factors beyond its control.